The present invention relates to a serial printer having a printing head which is reciprocated along a guide member.
In conventional serial printers, a flexible cable is connected between a printing head reciprocated along a guide member and a driver circuit in order to supply a driving signal to the printing head.
Since the printing head is reciprocated with one end portion of the flexible cable connected thereto, the bent portion of the flexible cable continuously changes in correspondence with the position of the printing head. However, since the flexible cable is disposed in a narrow gap between a ribbon cassette and a base plate of the printer casing and bent in this narrow gap, the flexible cable may become slack by the sliding load or caught under the carriage of the printing head. In addition, sliding friction occurring between the flexible cable and the ribbon cassette or the base plate causes the surface of the flexible cable to become worn, resulting in the wiring pattern being exposed and further disconnected, thus giving rise to a connection failure. These problems will be particularly critical in the case of an ultra-high speed printer. When an external electromagnetic wave enters the flexible cable, a mal-operation of the printer occurs, and electromagnetic noise generated from the flexible cable has adverse effects on devices placed around the printer.
It is an object of the present invention to prevent the flexible cable from becoming slack, caught or worn, thereby enabling it to endure the reciprocating movement of an ultra-high speed printer, to cut off external electromagnetic waves to thereby eliminate the occurrence of a mal-operation of the printer, and to prevent generation of electromagnetic noise.